Strangers- One Shot
by ShandyCandy278
Summary: The song is 'Strangers' by Eilemonty and Scratch21, and I highly recommend listening to it while reading. Rated T cause I'm paranoid. Summary: Months have passed since the heart-breaking final battle. But one thing is for sure- they would never be strangers ever again.


Shandy: Ok, we had to re-upload and change the story.

Candy: Why? Because it's apparently illegal for us to write in the lyrics for the song that inspired this fic, even though we gave credit to the artist.

Shandy: We didn't know that it was illegal, so we are removing the song lyrics from the oneshot.

Candy: We still suggest listening to it though. It's 'Strangers' by Eilemonty and Scratch21.

Shandy: Enjoy the story!

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Adrien sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly.

It had been months since the final battle against his father.

Man, that revelation still hurt.

He had dealt with so much loss ever since they started that battle. His father had been placed in a life sentence, and was on death row as well. This left Adrien to take over Agreste Industries.

Master Fu had also come to retrieve the Miraculous and return it to hiding with Carapace, the new holder. They still had no idea who was who, as Ladybug had wished.

But oh, how he wished that he hadn't agreed to that.

Plagg had been allowed to use his magic to summon something to give to Adrien as a parting gift, as all of the kwamis were allowed to do. Apparently, they were all given their weapons.

He fingered the outline of the silver staff in his pocket. It could extend to any length that he wanted, and was undetectable by metal sensors, but any other features it had like maps, tracking, and calling were no longer there. Plagg had said something about magic being a part of the reason why it worked like a phone, but that wouldn't be the case anymore.

He honestly felt like he was alone now. He was so wrapped up in his work than any free time was spent sleeping or assuring Nino that he would be okay.

If he was being honest, he was purposely wrapping himself up in his work. He had been for so long that he didn't realize what was missing from his life until he decided to see what had become of the Ladyblog.

He needed his lady.

He had promised to stay by her side, and he had fallen away the moment that he had started hurting from the loss of his father.

He was such an idiot.

Suddenly determined to walk the feelings off, he stood up and walked out of the house, giving a brief nod to Nathalie and his soon-to-be new assistant, Rose.

He was so lucky that his friends didn't leave him when they had found out. They were actually quite supportive, and he had been in contact with them whenever he could.

He just wished that he could see his Lady one more time.

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Marinette whipped the tears away from her cheeks, yoyo clutched in her hand as she stared at the framed picture of her as Ladybug and Chat Noir. It was a silly selfie that they had taken a few weeks before the final battle.

She had finally fallen for that stupid cat.

She had been planning on revealing.

She had planned on actually going out on dates with him and living together as a family.

She couldn't hate Adrien for what his father did, but she definitely hated Gabriel now. He had ruined everything.

Or had she? WIth insisting on keeping it a secret?

She had looked for him _everywhere_. He looked so hurt after the defeat of Hawkmoth that it hurt her, though she didn't know why.

Then Master Fu had come by, and Tikki had given her the yoyo. It was still indestructible, and could stretch to great lengths, but when she opened it there was no longer a bright white light, but a container that could be used to hold something instead. It was currently empty.

She still searched for him. They had danced around each other for so long that she had hoped that she would run into him at some point. That maybe he'd be looking for her.

She bit her lip, trying to prevent the sobs that were threatening to come out. Her lip bled in response, but she didn't care.

It hurt. It hurt to wait- it hurt to go out and search for him, and then to come back empty-handed and more broken.

Marinette stood up, tears streaming down her face.

One last time, she told herself.

One last search.

One last try.

One last hope.

She just wanted to see her Chaton. She just wanted to hear one more ridiculous pun.

One last chance.

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Adrien found himself walking the path that they always took for patrol, heart squeezing at every painfully happily memory. Someone was walking right beside him, but he didn't really notice as he was too wrapped up with the memories.

At one point, he found himself at the base of the Eiffel tower, looking up at the last place he had seen her.

Meanwhile, Marinette walked next to her route for patrol, not even caring to look at anything but the floor below her as she walked side-by-side with the stranger next to her. She only looked up when the stranger stopped, looking up.

They were at the base of the Eiffel tower, right below where she and Chat had spoken for the last time together.

Adrien bit his lip, tears trailing down his face as he struggled to hold in a sob.

She wasn't there.

Of course she wasn't there.

Marinette choked on her own sobs, a hand covering her mouth.

She was so stupid.

So naive.

Adrien fell to his knees, finally drawing her attention as he hit the ground with his fist.

' _Adrien…?'_

"She's not there." He sobbed. "She's not- I missed- I can't…" He sucked in a choppy breath.

Marinette knelt down next to him, placing a hand on his back soothingly, despite her own pain.

"Who's not there?" She whispered.

"I've been so dumb. Such an idiot. I-I should've searched harder, pushed harder- I can't-"

"Shhh…" She soothed, rubbing his back. "Just- just let it all out." She sniffed, tears coming back to her eyes. "I-I've missed my chance too. I should've told him. He's not here anymore. I can't either, Adrien."

Marinette sobbed as well when Adrien didn't respond to her, leaning against him as she cried with him.

Chat probably didn't remember her. Or if he did, he had moved on from her.

Adrien hit the ground a few more times. "I'll never be able to see her again! I can't- I won't-"

He sucked in another shaky breath, finally aware that he was starting to cause a scene, and that someone was crying with him.

He turned around to see Marinette, looking as though her heart had been stabbed thousands of times, collapsed beside him.

He didn't know what she was going through, but he shifted so that he could hold her while they cried. Her arms clutched his shirt, her tears wetting the fabric as his did to her hair.

"I-I've searched everywhere for him, but I can't- I can't find him!" She wailed. "I'm never gonna be able to see him again!"

Adrien tightened his hold on her, and she tried to control her sobs and tears, but they fought her to come out.

"D-Do you think I can find him if- if I go up there?"

Adrien blinked through the tears, Marinette's words slowly soaking into his skin.

"Up- up where?" Marinette didn't look up, but she raised a shaky arm to point at the top of the Eiffel tower.

"W-We used to meet up-p there every night." She sniffed. "He'd greet me with one of his st-stupid puns, and I-I would tease him, and w-we'd laugh." She let go of him with one of her hands, rubbing at her eyes. "B-But it ended so fast- I-I never was able t-to tell him-" She sobbed again, drawing in on herself. "I-I just want to hear one of his stup-pid puns one last time." She pulled something out of her jacket pocket, showing him a very familiar red, black-spotted yoyo.

"I-I can get up there, b-but will he show up?" She hiccuped, leaning her forehead against his chest. "I-It hurts, Adrien. I-I don't know if he will. I-I've searched f-for so long, a-and I just want it t-to stop hurting!"

Adrien choked back a sob, but this one was a happy one as he shakily reached into his own pocket to grab his staff, placing it next to her yoyo, the pawprint facing her face.

"I-I know." He said. "I-I know, Mari. B-But it doesn't have to anymore. It doesn't h-have to hurt anymore, milady."

Marinette stared at the familiar staff that Adrien had placed next to her yoyo. He hugged her tighter.

"I-I'm sorry- I-I didn't- I promised I wouldn't l-leave you, b-but- I can't believe- I'm so sorry, Mari, I'm so, so sorry. I-I've missed you so much a-and after father left I just- I-I couldn't-" She cut him off, throwing her arms around him, a happy laugh coming through her sobs.

"I-I'm just glad you're here now kitty." She said, and he hugged her tightly.

"I-I'm glad you're here too."


End file.
